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Zoster Eye Disease Study: Rationale and Design
Elisabeth J Cohen1, Judith S Hochman2, Andrea B Troxel3
1Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY.
Cornea
|January 28, 2022
Summary
The Zoster Eye Disease Study (ZEDS) investigates if one year of valacyclovir prevents herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) complications. This trial aims to establish evidence for optimal HZO patient care.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) can lead to serious eye complications.
- Current evidence supporting suppressive antiviral therapy for HZO is limited.
- The Zoster Eye Disease Study (ZEDS) addresses this gap in high-quality evidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the rationale and design of the Zoster Eye Disease Study (ZEDS).
- To determine if one year of suppressive valacyclovir reduces complications in patients with HZO.
Main Methods:
- ZEDS is a randomized clinical trial enrolling immunocompetent adults with a history of HZO.
- The primary endpoint is the time to new or worsening ocular inflammation or keratitis requiring treatment changes.
- The study is powered to detect a 30% difference in endpoints between treatment groups.
Main Results:
- Over 400 participants have been enrolled in the ZEDS trial over approximately four years.
- Enrollment data indicates feasibility of recruiting patients for this HZO study.
Conclusions:
- The ZEDS trial is designed to provide crucial scientific evidence on the efficacy of suppressive valacyclovir for HZO.
- Findings will inform whether suppressive valacyclovir should become the standard of care for HZO patients.
